Aster looked at Joshua with a deadpan expression and Joshua looked back with a pure smile, “I don’t know quite what you mean, I’m simply doing as asked by Master Tiberius.”

“Uh-huh… right god forbid that you- you know what, sure. Just don’t talk to me.”

Aster looked out of the carriage.

“You will be heading to the southern province for the Saturn's Day Festivities, as neither I or your mother can go because of prior arrangements, and as your brother cannot go, and your sister has been less than cooperative, you are our last option. You leave in three days.”

He stepped out of the carriage, and went forward to greet the lord of this place, he bowed and the older man looked vaguely displeased at the sight of him which, fair. Still the old man was not one for impropriety, thank god, he bowed back and led him on his way.

“You will be pleased to know that most things are going as they should. We have booked some rather exotic entertainment for the coming weeks and are pleased to know that our esteemed guest has arrived so early….”

He went on for a while and then dropped him off at his room, “Young master, where would you wish for your things to be placed?”

Aster froze and sighed, “Just hand them to me and excuse me miss?”

A passing maid stopped and bowed, “How may I be of service to you, my lord?”

“Can you lead Sir Wilson to the rooms he’ll be staying in? I’d like to get some rest before the coming festivities.”

She nodded and Joshua followed after her, but not without looking back to Aster, but he had already entered his room and closed the door behind him.

Joshua pouted, though he’d likely never admit, ‘This is gonna be tricky…’

.

.

.

“When you said exotic entertainment I didn’t know you’d be bringing a troupe from the land of sound and music.”

“Yes well… Cecilia has always blessed it’s people with great talents, this one came from a high recommendation from an old friend.”

The old man rubbed his hands together and Aster sighed, “I understand, my father sends his regards he was unavailable to come as an emergency has cropped up that required both of my parents. As you know the western front has seen an uptick of activity and thus my eldest brother has been called away once again, and my sister… has come upon a new discovery.”

The older man looked shame faced at being caught, but tense shoulders untensed and he nodded and smiled in understanding.

“I see.”

He was called away by another man and Aster was left alone once again, “Young master this is properly exciting isn’t it! I’ve never seen a troupe from the country of Cecilia!”

Aster nodded and sipped from his cup, slightly grimacing at the taste of alcohol, “It is a novelty, the troupes from Cecilia are nomadic in nature, but Calliope is a rather conservative nation so we tend not to allow most of their shows… it’s a shame, I hear their artistry is top notch.”

Joshua absolutely beamed when the other responded to him with more than a sentence, “Oh!”

Nodding he stood back as the master of the household made his speeches, paid his respects and the crowd prayed for a bountiful year, then he made a grand gesture and the room went dark.

The people had been seated on rugs and sitting mats, likely modeled after the traditional Cecilian sitting room, with low sofas and chairs, then the music started and the room was filled with a lazily creeping smoke.

Flower-like fire balls alighted the room.

It was admittedly mesmerizing the people gasped in awe, or with scandalized expressions as dancers strutted into the room with panther-like grace.

It was mainly women, with hips swinging in decisive motions and hands elegantly moving through the air like it were a harp to be played with decisive and delicate motions. Golden jewelry jingled and tinkled in unison with the music that reverberated through the room and their smiles hidden by see through fabric, enticing and mysterious.

Then as the women settled another dancer entered this one with swords as he did tricks and caught the falling blades he demonstrated their sharpness. The audience gasped and held their breath, under the mask one could see a smirk as he proceeded to dance with them in fervour, ‘This is pretty cool… honestly I didn’t think I’d actually be able to see something like this…’

Then the man caught the blades setting one on the ground he took the other and in a rather impressive display of showmanship made the sword follow his body, the blade landing on his hip and arm, then neck. He was very talented, able to make the stiff metal look fluid with his movements.

He stepped forward, more and more and Aster blinked as he realized with annoyance that the man was looking straight at him, light yet decisive steps taking him closer and closer to the sharp eyed male.

He flipped the sword once more and caught it with his neck and twirled it around and kneeled, presenting with both hands the blade to Aster.

Then the music stopped and the people cheered.

Aster kept a plain look and he heard a small chuckle from the person in front of him, silver eyes gleaming, as he stood up and was spirited away by the rest of the dancers.

The women tittered as their golden jewelry jingled in their wake.

‘I wanna eat…’

Aster was soon taken in by the conversations of others, Joshua following along quietly face set into stone, his heart tumultuous. As he was walking him back to his rooms, “You can head back to your rooms.”

“Young master… Did you enjoy this evening's festivities?”

Aster paused for a second, ‘Jeez kid… fine, fine, damn puppy dog eyed…’

Turning to him the blue eyed teen smiled, “I did, did you enjoy it as well?”

“I did… though that sword dancer worried me, he got too close to the young master…”

Aster blinked and chuckled, covering his mouth, “It’s nice that you take your job so seriously, but don’t worry about me, if they were trying to bring harm to me they wouldn’t do it around so many witnesses.”

The blonde looked dissatisfied with the explanation, but Aster waved him away and headed inside.

Joshua was walking back to his rooms with a frown on his face, “I don’t think he was threatening you… young master is kind of dense.”

.

“This honestly was a perfect time for him to tell me to leave the manor, I have so much work backed up, but first I should probably respond to Delilah, poor girl is probably worried.”

He set to work that evening and excused himself from morning meals, “I have a slight headache, but I’m sure it’ll settle for the evening festivities.”

“Of course sir. I’ll notify the master then, is there any need for a doctor or medicine that you’d like brought up to your rooms?”

“A light soup if you can.”

“Certainly.”

With that he got a bit more time to himself though he’d likely not be able to get out of any other days, but this was a short festivity best to make use of the freedom he had for now.

He sneaked out of the manor.

Breathing in the air he grinned, sharp teeth glinting, before he hid the smile again, brushing down his skirts, once again he played a woman as he headed out to drop off the mail he had. Once he had finished everything he wandered around for only a second, he felt relaxed for the first time since Belle had gone on her vacation.

Sighing he looked to the sky, he bumped into someone and bowed his head murmuring an apology.

“Oh~ whats this… could it be, I know you.”

He froze, and peered up underneath his fringe and sharp green eyes widened, silver eyes shone with amusement and mischievousness.

“Wha-”

A hand held his chin tilting his head up thumb brushing the other's bottom lip, smearing the lip rouge, though not too far as both were nearly the same height, “Yes, I’d know these eyes and lips anywhere… how curious is this normal for-”

“Rasheed! You leave that poor woman alone!”

From behind him a beautiful woman stomped forward from the crowd eyes burning like fire as she stalked forward, the man- Rasheed laughed easily, “Now, now aunty, there’s no need to fuss-”

“Kyaaa!”

Rasheed startled at the others' screams and let go suddenly. Aster jumped back from the boy, his scream calling attention to the people around them who started murmuring at the sight, using this he ran.

“Hey!”

“Rasheed! Not doing anything my perky ass! You are in big trouble mister!”

“Eh! No way!”

Aster felt his face burn, “That was too fucking close… no more adventures for the rest of this trip.”

.

“Young master, I heard you had a headache. I came to check up on you, but you were asleep. Are you truly alright? If you’re still feeling sick I can notify the-”

“I’m fine, I’m fine, both you and Belle worry too much, besides a little bit of walk will actually help me.”

Joshua smiled widely at the other eyes, still worried, but the sparkling joy overshadowed it, “You're speaking to me normally again!”

Aster burned rubbing the back of his head, “Yeah, yeah if I’m gonna be around you for this week I’m not gonna talk in a high noble accent… you know right. That I don’t want you to avoid me because I dislike you.”

There was silence as the walked down the halls the shining lights of the party bleeding into the hallways, “I understand.”

“Good, then you understand that once this week is over you ignore me. Understood.”

Joshua frowned, but nodded, “I understand.”

Aster pressed his lips together, and placed a hand on the other's shoulder, “Thank you… Joshua. You are a good person, never lose that.”

‘Seriously you're too strong to go dark, plus Delilah will need you for plot stuff…’

Joshua felt his face burn the twinkling lights making Aster glow gold and that soft barely there smile made his heart trip, the other had already turned and was walking away, but Joshua stayed still for a moment. Just to savor it, before he followed after.

.

“Hello~ again… little bird.”

A deadpan expression of despair took over Aster.

Joshua looked near stabbing the man.

And Rasheed…

Well he was having fun for the first time since he arrived in this country.